Cubs defeat Dodgers 5-1 as Tarik Skubal makes debut

Tarik Skubal’s highly anticipated debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers ended in a team loss on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, as the Chicago Cubs defeated Los Angeles 5-1 at Wrigley Field. The two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, acquired in a trade from the Detroit Tigers just days earlier, pitched six innings but was outdueled by a Cubs offense that capitalized on key moments.

Skubal’s first outing in Dodger blue began strongly, as he retired the first six batters he faced, striking out three. The left-hander’s early command was undone in the bottom of the third inning, however, when Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson connected on Skubal’s first pitch of the frame, sending a solo home run into the left-center field bleachers to tie the game. The homer energized a crowd of 40,584 and sparked a wave of celebratory reactions from fans of other teams on social media, many of whom have expressed frustration over the Dodgers' acquisition of another elite talent.

The Dodgers had taken an early lead in the top of the second inning on a solo home run by Kyle Tucker, a former Cub who was booed by the Chicago crowd. Tucker’s homer was one of only four hits managed by the slumping...